


So Maybe This is Afterglow

by nonky



Series: So Maybe Series [7]
Category: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (TV)
Genre: F/M, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 08:30:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13700754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonky/pseuds/nonky
Summary: During one of their mistakes, Nathaniel decides to ask for the thing he'd wanted from Rebecca in their first time.





	So Maybe This is Afterglow

Nathaniel collapsed on her, heavy and hot and barely holding it together to skew left so he didn't break his perfect nose on the top of her head. He sank into her with a long, satiated sigh. 

Rebecca kept her arms up on his back for a minute or two, gasping until her lungs felt full. She stroked his spine gently, her face losing the slight smile as she got worried. 

"Nathaniel?" He didn't stay down this long. He was proud of his endurance. She tried a firmer press of her fingers on his sides, where he wasn't quite ticklish.

His face turned to dig his chin at her collarbone, and he let out the softest, most polite snore she'd ever heard. It was the kind of snore a Disney prince might do, if Disney ever let him be shown in a bed.

Rebecca burst into laughter. "Oh, you're faking! Get off me, you idiot, you're heavy. You're the only man I've ever known who doesn't even snore a little bit. You probably work out too much to have to breathe when you're sleeping."

He sniffed derisively. "I'll have you know I was asleep."

"I'll have you know -" Rebecca scoffed dramatically. "Dude, your resting heart rate is like, coma! The first time I slept over I thought you died. Now will you get off me?"

"No." He snuggled down, making a show of being terribly relaxed.

"What? Why?"

"Because you'll do what you do."

"What do I do?" She was smiling again, amused. He was heavy though, and she would eventually want to close her legs and get the pressure off her back.

"I'll move to the side and we'll get comfortable. Then I'll keep my eyes closed but I'll hear your hair slide and you'll be looking at the door. I'll start hearing the Jeopardy music in my head, and then I know I have a few seconds to think of small talk. If I do, which is damn hard after I just came, you'll talk for a bit, but it doesn't go on long. You'll want to clean up and you won't get back into bed. And then you leave. And it would be nice if you wanted to stay."

She paused. He thought about her reactions a lot, and he sounded like he didn't stop when she wasn't present. Rebecca had been there, and it wasn't nice feeling fucked only to want something just a bit more meaningful. "You want to negotiate afterglow?"

"I just . . . I mean, I can still feel your legs are shaking." 

He still had a hand down on her thigh, kneading at it unconsciously in a way she knew was appreciative. And this - maybe this was an emotional hazard she should try to keep as light as she could. 

"Okay, not the time to shame me about skipping leg day."

"You know I adore your legs. I'm saying it's boring you won't even hang out for a little while," he said wistfully. "Just a little while. You don't have to run off like I'm an asshole who's going to kick you out any second."

Her manners with Nathaniel were pretty rough, between demanding sex and then fleeing the scene like she'd been joy riding a stolen car. He wasn't a one night stand and she was going to see him at work. It was reasonable he didn't want her pouncing and then making herself scarce before he'd even gotten his heartrate down.

"Okay, just let me up first. I actually do need to pee."

They both got up, taking turns in the bathroom, but Rebecca climbed back into bed dutifully with her phone in her hand. Nathaniel pulled on boxers and pointed at it suspiciously.

"See, that's cheating. You're going to pretend you missed a call or a text and leave anyway."

"I'm not. I'll even spoon you for a change."

He stiffened, his tone going sharper as he moved to walk away. "I don't need you making fun of me. If you're busy, you should go," he told her.

"No! It's nice hanging out with you in bed," she said, sitting up and giving him a clear view of her naked body. "I wasn't making fun. I like being here, but I figured if I can't stay the night I probably shouldn't hang around at all."

Her breasts probably made at least half the point for her, because his gaze slid warmly along her nipples and down lower where she felt just slightly empty without him. Nathaniel eased his big height down next to her, being careful not to jostle her. 

He had always been careful about consent and using his strength gently. She should be a little apologetic for all the scratches and rough kicks.

He turned to his side and her warmth eased down on half his back. She kissed his exposed shoulder. She adjusted her pillow and gently started curling the sweat damp hair at the back of his neck. 

"Some mood music," Rebecca whispered. She set her phone to play a soft song, and it was nice if a little on the nose. She sang along to a few bars, idly petting his ribs after finding a safe spot to lay the phone. "-will you lie with me and just forget the world-"

It took a few songs before he was truly relaxed in her arms, her shorter reach pulled forward to meet his larger hand. It took even longer before he started talking about inconsequential things, venting about rude clients who didn't understand the law and mentioning a new favourite furniture store he'd found online. 

Rebecca didn't remember falling asleep that way, or how she'd ended up more comfortably settled on her own side of the bed with Nathaniel stretched out and taking up too much space beside her. She also didn't move to leave until her phone startled trilling her daily alarm.

**Author's Note:**

> The few bars of song mentioned are from Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars" which truly is just far too on the nose to use in full in a fic. But it does set a nice mood for wounded souls.


End file.
